


Home

by ddagent



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Engagement, Episode Tag, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-12
Updated: 2014-05-12
Packaged: 2018-01-24 12:43:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1605614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ddagent/pseuds/ddagent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neal is finally home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its characters, or its settings - all belongs to the lovely folks at ABC.
> 
> After last night's finale, this scene came to me. Obviously an AU where Neal is still around, and just to be safe SPOILERS FOR THE OUAT FINALE. Other than that, enjoy what I feel to be some rather fluffy fic.

Neal had always believed home was someplace that when he left it, he would miss it. For the longest time, home had been the image of his father by his spinning wheel. Now home was a small town in Maine, where the woman he loved was stealing French fries off their son’s plate; and his father was talking to his girlfriend over a pitcher of iced tea. They’d both searched so long for this place, this point in time where they were both truly happy. Now they were here.

 

He watched them stand from their table, his father helping Belle into her coat. After joining Emma in stealing a fry off Henry’s plate, Neal slid out of the booth to follow them. “I’m gonna talk to my Dad for a minute. Nobody step on any butterflies while I’m gone.”

 

Emma threw a fry at his head, earning them both a disapproving look from Granny. Grabbing his coat, Neal followed his father and Belle out the door. Outside, he watched Belle head in the direction of the library. His father lingered outside, perhaps even waiting for him. “Hey.”

 

“Hey yourself. I’m heading to the shop, walk with me?”

 

Neal nodded, and the two began the walk up Main Street. There had been so few moments just the two of them, father and son shooting the breeze. Growing up away from his father, there had been times when he’d craved the sound of the spinning wheel, or his father’s arms around him. Now he had the pleasure of walking beside his father on a cool Maine evening.

 

“So, I overheard that you and Emma may be returning to New York,” his father said, breaking the quiet that had descended.

 

Neal paused, stopping to address his father properly. Things had changed. He wanted his father to know that. “Listen, Papa…”

 

But before he could continue, his father raised his hand. “It’s alright, Bae. I understand. If I’m honest I’ve toyed with the idea of leaving Storybrooke myself. Loving the Dark One hasn’t been easy on Belle.” He swallowed, taking a moment. “I made some enquiries and I got a _very_ good deal on an apartment there. It’s close to a library for Henry. And for Belle, when we visit.”

 

Neal felt like his tongue had been stolen. Half of Granny’s had been up in arms when he and Emma had mentioned moving back to New York, Henry included. But his father was not. “Why?”

 

His father reached out and clutched at his shoulder. “Bae, in recent memory I’ve lost you again and you’ve lost me. Moving to New York would eliminate all the trouble we face here. I want you to be safe, more…more than I want you by my side.”

 

Neal nodded, taking his father’s words on board. He continued their procession to the shop, his father keeping close as if unwilling to let him go. He still did that with Henry, keeping him within arm’s length at all times. It was hard to let go of you son. Good thing neither of them had to. “You know, Papa, if you keep talking up New York, we might actually go.”

 

His father clutched at him, his face breaking out into a hopeful smile. “Really? You’re staying?”

 

“Yeah. Emma and I discussed it. She wants to stay near her family. I want to stay near mine.”

 

That start of a hopeful smile blossomed into a proper one. Just like the smiles he had given him as a child whenever he would spin correctly. “Then I shall find you all a place here.” Then the smile faltered, just for a moment. “In regards to family…you do _like_ Belle, don’t you?”

 

Neal chuckled, his father nervously joining in beside him. He never thought he’d witness his father asking for his approval. “Come on, I love Belle! I spent an entire year with her trying to find a way to bring you back. When I talk about family, she’s right there at the table with us.”

 

“Good. Good.”

 

They reached the antiques store under a comfortable silence. The sign said ‘closed’, but there was light and movement inside. His father didn’t seem concerned, he just opened the door like it was halfway through the business day. Neal made a motion to return to Granny’s, but he stopped when his father held the door open for him.

 

The light inside was from candles set up on every counter and on every shelf. Belle lit the final few as they closed the door behind them. Neal thought it was just the three of them till Ariel came out with two more candles. He joined the mermaid by the counter; a quick glance telling him she was just as confused as he was. His father and Belle looked perfectly at ease, standing together by the register holding hands.

 

“I suppose you want an explanation as to why we’ve brought you here.”

 

Ariel bobbed her head. “Belle said it was important. Do you need me to swim somewhere?”

 

Belle shook her head, trying to put the mermaid at ease. Despite her reassurances, something still wasn’t right. But this didn’t feel like a bad something. Neal gestured for them to continue. “Whatever it is, you can tell us.”

 

Belle’s smile became brighter than all the candles in the shop combined. Whatever came next, Neal was pretty sure his family had just got a little bigger. “Well, we wanted you two to be the first to know. Yesterday, after we defeated Zelena, I returned Rumpelstiltskin’s dagger to him. Soon after, he proposed.”

 

“Seriously?”

 

“Oh my god!”

 

Belle shyly pulled her hand out from behind her _fiancée_ and showed them both the ring now present on her finger. It was a subtle engagement ring, a gold band with a diamond encrusted in the centre. Neal took his friend’s hand and admired the craftsmanship. He turned to his father: “You make this?”

 

He nodded. “Only the best for Belle. Are you happy, Bae?”

 

“Are you kidding me? Of course I am!” Yanking her hand forward, Neal pulled Belle into a hug. He’d spent an entire year getting to know her, falling in love with her just as his father had. He couldn’t wait till she was part of their family. “This is amazing. So have you thought about when, where?”

 

The happy couple exchanged looks before Rumpelstiltskin answered. “Not in any detail. We’ve only decided on two things. My best man, and Belle’s maid of honour. We couldn’t imagine two people we wanted to share this day with more than you two. If you both want to, of course?”

 

Ariel squealed and embraced Belle. Neal reached over for his father this time, his hands balling the collar of his father’s suit jacket. He felt his father pause before he clutched him just as tightly. “No magic, no evil grandfathers… _nothing_ would keep me from being there,” he said, pressing further into his father’s arms. Not too long ago he had stood outside and watched his father die to save them all. Very soon he would stand up beside him, watching him marry his true love. “I love you, Papa.”

 

“I love you too, Bae.”

 

The sound of glasses clinking brought them both back to the room, and Neal watched Belle pull a bottle of champagne out from under the counter. When they each had a glass, his father held out his hand for Belle to take. He raised his glass to her.

 

“To Belle, and to True Love. Something I never thought existed, and now something I could never do without.”

 

Four glasses clinked in celebration. They had fought for these moments, bled for these moments, _died_ for these moments. But it was all worth it. For Emma stealing off Henry’s plate. For watching his future in-laws cradle their new born son. For the bravest woman he knew and the father he loved to finally enjoy a moment of happiness in a journey that had been clouded with darkness.

 

He would miss this, if he ever had to leave it. But some part of Neal believed that he had finally made it to the end of the story. The battles were done, time to close the book. He was finally home. 


End file.
